He always keeps his promises. She trusts him completely. So when a handsome cowboy disappears, the woman he loves will do everything in her power to bring him home in B.J. Daniels’ Wrangler’s Rescue, the seventh and final volume in the captivating Montana Cahills series.

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Just as their romance blossoms, Cyrus Cahill must travel to Colorado to buy a bull for his ranch. He promises Ashley Jo Somerfield he won’t be long and should return in less than a week. But the week has come and gone, and still there is no sign of Cyrus and A.J. is getting worried.

In fact, it seems like everyone suspects the worst. Cyrus’ brother, Sheriff Flint Cahill, receives a call from the Florida police which indicates the missing cowboy is presumed dead after reportedly falling over the side of a cruise ship. The devastating news sends the entire Cahill clan into a tailspin.

Despite everyone else’s state of shock, however, A.J. knows in her heart of hearts that Cryus is still alive and kicking, and she vows to prove it. And this is how Daniels turns a love story and missing person’s case into a tightly woven yarn that twists and turns and pulls readers in every direction possible, leaving all of us to wonder, “Is Cyrus really dead?”

Wrangler’s Rescue is another home run hit for Daniels. It’s a roller coaster ride that keeps us guessing and turning pages, one which delightfully brings to a close the Montana Cahills series and leaves the author’s legion of fans satisfied and happy when the final page is turned. Make sure you add this one to your must-read list!

Born in Texas, she moved with her family to Montana at the age of five. Her first family home was a cabin in Gallatin Canyon and later a lake house on Hebgen Lake outside of West Yellowstone. Most of her books have been set in Montana. Today she lives with her husband and three Springer Spaniels in a unique part of the state.

When she isn’t writing, B.J. loves to play tennis, boat, camp, quilt, and snowboard. Of course, there is still nothing she enjoys more than curling up with a good book. She also loves to connect with her readers and invites them to visit her at her home on the Web at bjdaniels.com, like her on Facebook, and follow her on Twitter.

Are you as fascinated by our planet as we are? Every time we travel, we love exploring new terrain, taking drives along breathtaking vistas or hikes to reach secluded views, marveling at the miraculous balance of nature in all its stunning beauty. But sometimes it isn’t easy to know exactly where to go. That’s where National Geographic’s Visual Atlas of the World, Second Edition comes in handy. This oversized, photo-packed volume is everything we love in a reference book and more, and here’s why you need a copy for your own personal library.

As you can tell from the above photograph of China’s verdant Jiuzhaigou Valley Scenic and Historic Area, the photography featured in this book is the most exquisite camera work you’re likely to find anywhere, bar none. But we’d expect nothing less from National Geographic. Over the years, they have always delivered jaw-dropping, canvas-worthy photographs that entice just as well as they educate. Best of all, this atlas is jam packed with pictures like these. As Nat Geo did with our previously reviewed Journeys of a Lifetime, this is the kind of book that delivers an epic vision of the world’s most captivating landscapes, and is guaranteed to fuel your wanderlust too.

Sedimentary rocks are formed from preexisting rocks or pieces of once living organisms. They form deposits that accumulate on Earth’s surface, generally with distinctive layering or bedding. (Photo courtesy National Geographic)

In addition to providing loads of maps, including everything from satellite images to physical and political maps, this volume also digs deep into the structure of the planet and showcases how aspects of the Earth were formed, how oceans and lakes flow and sustain life, and what climates are like all over the globe. But the book takes us deeper than just surface information. It also maps out the ocean floor, showcases Earth’s place in the solar system and even provides insights into our moon and nearby planetary neighbors like Mars. Now how is that for being comprehensive?

While we’re talking about the climate, let’s take a gander at those rising temperatures, shall we? Nat Geo takes a good hard look at what climate change is doing to our planet, from melting ice caps to increased carbon dioxide concentrations. (Just check out how little snow there is these days in Nepal, as pictured below.) These are clear, vivid reminders that our planet, as lovely as it still may be, is in crisis, and all the details are laid out for us to examine in concise, easy-to-understand language that will raise your awareness and concerns, despite what politicians may be saying about the topic.

Sagarmatha National Park, Nepal (Photo courtesy National Geographic)

Not only are temperature on the rise, but as a result, so are oceans and storm activity the world over. The atlas charts sea-level changes, explains what influences the weather, exposes environmental stresses on the planet, and demonstrates how a growing population and urbanization are taking a toll as well. Other maps examine which languages and religions are most prevalent in different locales, and how human influences are polluting the air, depleting water supplies, and degrading the land.

Everything is not doom and gloom, however. The atlas also shines a light on protected areas and heritage sites, acknowledges how biodiversity is helping the planet, and illustrates country by country what each nation can be proudest of and celebrates individual cultures. As such, this makes for a very engaging and informative read that is as well rounded as it is educational, and thus makes for another must-have volume that will easily become an heirloom part of your family library.

Flood on Piazzo San Marco in Venice, Italy (Photo courtesy National Geographic)

When building a home collection of reference works for yourself and your children, a great atlas is just as important as a comprehensive encyclopedia set and a current dictionary. But National Geographic doesn’t stop at just providing a collection of dry facts and boring maps. Instead, they dig deep, as they always do, and provide a book that is both reliably researched and carefully photographed, thus making for one of the must dazzling books you will ever own. Make sure your family has the best. Buy National Geographic’s second edition of their Visual Atlas of the World.

National Geographic

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

One of the world’s leading nonfiction publishers, National Geographic Books has published more than 1,700 titles, featuring such categories as history, travel, nature, photography, space, science, health, biography, and memoir. A portion of its proceeds is used to fund exploration, conservation, and education through ongoing contributions to the work of the National Geographic Society.

National Geographic cartographers bring a century of mapmaking experience and cutting-edge technology to bear on every atlas product. Over the last decade, techniques used in digital mapping have undergone remarkable changes.

Today, satellite and digital imaging technologies provide cartographers with new tools to map and animate Earth and our solar system. Leveraging these emerging technologies to build smart, well-designed, funtional, informative atlasesis one of the great strengths of National Geographic.

Sydney Jamesson’s new novel, The Darkest Corners, isn’t another romance. Rather, it’s a tale of psychological suspense with a complex love story woven through it. Packed with lots of angst, loads of emotional turmoil, and fraught with edge-of-your-seat suspense, it’s the story of a single dad and a troubled young woman who must confront their deepest, darkest fears together. Take a sneak peek inside the novel with the excerpt below. Enjoy! —JRW

EXCERPT

Max

I PLACED THE JOURNAL on the pillow to my right, deep in thought, disbelieving that unassuming young woman I had met just over twenty-four hours ago could have lived such a life. It occurred to me that her life experiences had shaped her into an uncompromising, plain-spoken woman. No wonder she took it upon herself to speak up; to say what needed to be said to an arrogant, insensitive sod like me.

In my mind’s eye, I pictured her sitting nervously on that ten thirty-six train to Brighton, venturing into the unknown, starting over—alone—having experienced … who knows what?

At least I had a home to come back to; one Hope and I had designed together with an architect, shaping our ideas into something tangible and practical, reflecting both our personalities: my need for privacy and light, Hope’s need for satin cushions, storage and space for us to grow as a family. We had created our own piece of heaven, blissfully unaware that fate would see to it that she did not get to experience it for more than a couple of months.

And there was Harriet, courageously moving on, which is more than I had done.

As bad as it appeared—stealing a look into Harriet’s world, her private thoughts, her fears and aspirations—I could not help myself. Sure, her world was alien to me; the landscape was foreign, unrecognisable, but her emotions and sense of displacement were not. We had both loved passionately, and been forced to inhabit an unfamiliar world, forever altered.

I trotted back into the lounge, topped up my drink and threw in a couple of ice cubes, allowing them to chill the golden liquid before tasting it. Glass in hand I headed to bed, stopping to check in on Poppy first.

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She was sleeping; gentle wisps of air escaped her lips as she dreamed of more precious trinkets, shopping trips, and colouring books awash with fluorescent shades that reflected a world filled with laughter and love—exactly where she belonged.

I could not sleep.

Two brief encounters, and there I was allowing a young woman I barely knew to invade my psyche. Without even trying, Harriet had caused a chain reaction: what started out as annoyance and mild curiosity had morphed into something inexplicably provocative.

My skin was warm and prickly, as if it had been scrubbed clean. After my four-year hiatus, my entire body was throbbing. I turned on the bedside lamp, knocking my glasses to the floor, still trembling from what I assumed was a panic attack, or was it arousal? It had been so long since I’d felt something so visceral and unexpected, it was hard to tell. Whatever it was, there was no way I was going back to sleep.

I put Harriet’s journal to one side, deciding to ration out the entries. The last thing I needed was to become obsessed by it—by her. In hindsight, if I’d known how reading about her life was going to affect me and my life, I might have thought twice about opening what was turning into Pandora’s Box.

Then again, I wonder what would have become of me if I had not opened it and turned the pages, devouring her words like a starving man.

At least I was lucid enough to notice that the glass of Scotch I had poured myself was still there by the lamp, its contents luminescent in the light cast from beneath the shade. If nothing else, my liver was grateful for her disclosures.

Mildly anesthetized by the alcohol in my veins, I longed for sleep but it came in waves, angry tidal waves that stirred my soul and stole my breath. Like so many nights before, I began to feel ensnared, sandwiched between those browbeating buddies, Loneliness and Guilt. They were at their most potent in the hours between dusk and dawn, terrorising me with images from my past that I was still in no shape to confront. From the bottom of a glass they stared back at me, insistent and unforgiving.

My nightmare was always the same; it involved a bloodied hand reaching out to me. No matter how I fought I could not escape it. I could not see whose hand it was, but I knew the name of the phantom who haunted all my dreams. I just could not bring myself to say it out loud.

I woke, disorientated, drowning in perspiration.

Biting back frustration, I swallowed what was left of the elixir, inviting it to numb my senses, needing the deadening effect that it alone could produce in my body, in my mind.

I did not want to think.

I did not want to feel.

I wanted to forget. Not only my past but Harriet‘s too, for a couple of hours, at least.

All I had wanted to do was to step out of my shoes and into those of a free-spirited human being for a day or two, without dragging my heels or stumbling over obstacles only I could see.

In my desperation, I assumed Harriet was that person. I had her all mapped out.

She was at least six years younger than me. Her life was filled with parties, dates with twenty-something bartenders with a penchant for homemade wine and staying up all night watching boxed sets of The Walking Dead or Game of Thrones.

With every new entry I was being drawn in deeper. I bent down to pick up her journal, snatching my glasses from beneath the bed where they had landed. I decided I should do no more than flick through the pages to the very last entry, like a teenage boy about to fail a math assignment; going straight to the answers without even trying to solve the problem.

But … that would be cheating.

Harriet was clearly a woman of many parts, an enigma with hidden depths and a past that I could either descend into, at my peril, or walk away from. She had fallen in love, experienced the joy of devotion, and yet, she’d ended up alone—like me.

So, taking a deep breath, I dived in…

ABOUT THE DARKEST CORNERS

After surviving a life changing event, celebrated artist Maxwell Grant has not touched a paintbrush or a woman in four years. During that time, he has tormented himself over an unspeakable act he dare not admit to, even to himself.

His one chance at redemption comes through a journal left behind by Harriet Harper, a mysterious woman in his night school class.

Shocked by what he reads about her tortured existence, he becomes obsessed by her and falls headfirst into a dangerous game of he said, she said, not knowing who to believe—who to trust.

When a dangerous character from Harriet’s past appears, events take a turn for the worse and he must say and do whatever necessary to save his sanity and, more importantly, his four year old daughter, Poppy.

Some secrets never get to see the light of day; others are just waiting to be uncovered … with shocking consequences.

Sydney Jamesson

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Sydney Jamesson is an English teacher by day and a USA Today bestselling author of romance and suspense by night. She is nocturnal by nature and loves nothing more than staying up late, listening to music and being inspired to write.

She has always scribbled things down; in her home is one enormous waste paper basket full of discarded phrases, opening lines and pieces of dialogue that have hit her like lightning in the middle of the night or whilst parked up at a set of traffic lights.

Her bestselling trilogy, The Story of Us is available worldwide, and she has been thrilled to continue Ayden Stone and Beth Parker’s epic love story in The Story of Us Series: Into the Blue, comprising: Blue Genes, Blue Hearts, and Blue Moon. More recently, Sydney has focused on psychological suspense.

A deadly home invasion. Two defenseless eyewitnesses. A cop who will go to any lengths necessary to protect them. When faced with an unscrupulous adversary, does Lieutenant Sam Holland have what it takes to solve the case? Find out in Marie Force’s latest blockbuster, Fatal Invasion.

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When Holland arrives at the scene of a home invasion gone horribly awry, she discovers two bodies burned beyond recognition, both victims hands and feet zip tied together.

Once her partner, Detective Freddie Cruz, and the rest of her team arrives, she and Freddie canvass the area in search of witnesses. But before they wrap up, she asks where Sergeant Tommy “Gonzo” Gonzales is.

No one has heard from him and she needs all hands on deck with this case, so she wonders what is going on with her absent subordinate. But she can’t dwell on it now, because she must focus on identifying the two badly burned bodies found at the Beauclair mansion.

As Holland and her team follow the killer’s footsteps, she crosses boundaries she never thought possible. Her mothering instincts slip into overdrive as she resolves to protect the only witnesses they have: twin five-year-old children who somehow managed to survive the blaze. Determined to keep them out of harm’s way, she puts her job on the line to ensure their safety.

With Fatal Invasion, Force throws readers into action from the very first page. She propels the story with seamless character development and somehow manages to balance each character’s emotions with ease, never forgetting the fragility of the human spirit or the never ending battle each of us must wage between strength and weakness. All these emotional nuances are interwoven with the plot, even as Force juggles the case, Gonzo’s personal demons, Freddie’s upcoming wedding and Sam’s ethical struggle to do the right thing.

This is my favorite kind of novel. It made me alternately laugh and cry. It reminded me to reach out to those in need even when it isn’t convenient. Most of all, it made me examine my true north, why I must follow it, and why sometimes we simply have to go with our gut and examine the consequences of our actions later. Because looking back, we often realize we would most likely make the same decisions again.

In much the same vein, she showcases Holland’s fortitude. Everyone she touches is confident that she’ll have their back. And that’s what makes her such an engaging heroine. On the outside, she’s tough as nails, yet beneath it all she has a soft underbelly that endears her to her peers. Here, Force once again proves why Sam is such a fascinating and compelling character, one which inspires and maintains such a loyal following.

Marie Force

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Marie Force is a publishing phenomenon. All together, her books have sold 7 million copies worldwide, have been translated into more than a dozen languages and have appeared on the New York Times bestseller list 29 times. She is also a USA Today and Wall Street Journal bestseller, a Spiegel bestseller in Germany, a frequent speaker and publishing workshop presenter as well as a publisher through her Jack’s House Publishing romance imprint. She is a two-time nominee for the Romance Writers of America’s RITA® award for romance fiction.

She is the author of several different long-running series, including the Gansett Island and Fatal series from Harlequin Books. She is also the author of the Butler, Vermont and Green Mountain novels. She also writes the erotic Quantum series under the name M.S. Force. In 2019, her new historical Gilded series from Kensington Books will debut with Duchess By Deception.

Her goals in life are simple—to finish raising two happy, healthy, productive young adults, to keep writing books for as long as she possibly can and to never be on a flight that makes the news.

]]>https://jathanandheather.com/2018/11/21/invasion/feed/0heatherfinkHouse on fireMarie Force's FATAL INVASIONAdd to Goodreads badgeMarie ForceTLC Book Tours Tour HostA Lot of Work for a Little Snow [GUEST POST]https://jathanandheather.com/2018/11/19/snow/
https://jathanandheather.com/2018/11/19/snow/#respondMon, 19 Nov 2018 13:00:41 +0000http://jathanandheather.com/?p=29043Sometimes the smallest detail creates the largest amount of work for an author, like trying to pick the perfect time for a setting to have snow. E.M. Powell explains in this guest post regarding her new novel, The Monastery Murders. (Photo by Paul R. Robinson, Flickr)

Whenever we pick up a book by one of our favorite authors, we may not realize just how much research went into writing a certain character, choosing a setting, or crafting a particular scene, especially when the author does her job as seamlessly as historical mystery author, E.M. Powell. Reading her latest novel, The Monastery Murders, she excels at luring us into the story’s disarming setting and made us ask: How did holiday traditions differ way back in 1176 and how does she utilize these details to build suspense? Thankfully she explains in today’s guest post. Enjoy! —J&H

As The Monastery Murders opens on Christmas Eve, I loved this question! It gives me the chance to talk in a bit more depth about part of my research into the novel.

Now, for most historical novelists, our research is a bit like an iceberg. Only a small percentage is visible above the waterline/finds its way onto the page. The rest is submerged and out of sight. But being out of direct sight doesn’t mean that it’s not present in all its vastness. So it was with the holiday setting for Stanton and Barling’s latest case.

I would love to be able to state here that there was a profound reason for setting it at Christmas. But it was a totally pragmatic one: I needed snow for my plot, and lots of it! January is the best month for that here in the UK.

Then I had to decide on specific days for the timeline of the novel. I have an introduction scene to Stanton and Barling where they are attending a bear baiting in London, just before they are called to the first murder. Some readers have commented about how the bear baiting scene really set the tone for the book, but what a difficult read that scene was to read. I can completely understand that, as it was very difficult for me to research and to write.

For those who don’t know, bear baiting was a barbaric sport that was hugely popular in medieval times and continued to be so for many hundreds of years. A bear would be chained to a pit and forced to fight a number of dogs let loose upon it. Bears were extremely valuable and tended to be kept alive to face this terrifying torment over and over again. The dogs faced death as well as mutilation. I wish I could say that this truly horrible spectacle is now firmly in the past, but sadly not. It’s still carried out in many parts of the world, both openly or in illegal fights.

What was important in terms of timing for my novel was that bear baiting was a major spectator sport and took place on feast days. Feast days were literally red-letter days on the medieval calendar, of which more later. They consisted of Easter, Pentecost, Christmas, and Epiphany, along with an elaborate calendar of commemorations and feasts of saints. They were similar to our holidays, in that people were excused from work and ate and drank as richly as they were able and took part in leisure activities. January 1st was celebrated as a feast day. January 1st—New Year’s Day, right? Wrong.

For much of the medieval period, the beginning of the year varied and dates other than January 1st could be used: March 25 (the feast of the Annunciation), Easter (the date of which varied and still does) and 25 December (the Nativity/Christmas). The reason for this was that there were two separate calendars in play. On the one hand was the Julian or Roman calendar, which is very similar to today’s. On the other was the liturgical calendar, which was laid out according to the feasts of the Christian year.

In the liturgical calendar, Christmas is a twelve-day feast. In case you’re thinking the medievals had it easy, think again: the entire season of Advent, in which people prepared for Christmas, was one of fasting. January 1st, the eighth day, was celebrated as the Octave of Christmas, so that worked. My bear baiting was taking place when it should have. When I figured out times for the news of the murder to reach London, it worked out perfectly that Brother Cuthbert had been murdered on Christmas Eve.

And, yes—that was a lot of work to get Stanton and Barling some snow!

Thomas and Mercer

ABOUT THE BOOK

Their lives are ones of quiet contemplation—and brutal murder.

Christmas Eve, 1176. Brother Maurice, monk of Fairmore Abbey, awaits the night prayer bell. But there is only silence. Cursing his fellow brother Cuthbert’s idleness, he seeks him out—and in the darkness, finds him brutally murdered.

Summoned from London to the isolated monastery on the Yorkshire Moors, Aelred Barling, clerk to the King’s justices, and his messenger Hugo Stanton, set about investigating the horrific crime. They quickly discover that this is far from a quiet monastic house. Instead, it seethes with bitter feuds, rivalries and resentments. But no sooner do they arrive than the killer strikes again—and again.

When Barling discovers a pattern to these atrocities, it becomes apparent that the murderer’s rampage is far from over. With everyone, including the investigators, now fearing for their lives, can Barling and Stanton unmask the culprit before more blood is spilled?

She is also a contributing author to International Thriller Writers’The Big Thrill magazine, blogs for English Historical Fiction Authors and is the social media manager for the Historical Novel Society.

Born and raised in the Republic of Ireland into the family of Michael Collins (the legendary revolutionary and founder of the Irish Free State), she now lives in northwest England with her husband, daughter, and a Facebook-friendly dog.

The Monastery Murders is the second novel in her Stanton and Barling medieval murder mystery series. Learn more about Powell and her books at her home on the Web at EMPowell.com, like her on Facebook, and follow her on Twitter and Goodreads.

Ready for a second chance, a young mother and her two daughters move to the idyllic town of Haven Point. (Photo by Corey Templeton, Flickr)

Moving to a small town after life in a big city is a challenging change of pace for anyone, but particularly for a young mom with two daughters to think about. A prime job opportunity makes the move inevitable, however, and soon the little family finds itself in Haven Point. But will the girls be able to make a life there? And what happens when the heart starts to make choices of its own? Find out in RaeAnne Thayne’s heartwarming new novel, Season of Wonder.

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Haven Point may be idyllic and picturesque, especially during the winter season, but it is small and very different from Queens, New York, where Daniela Capelli and her two daughters just relocated from. Still, in need of a new start, they are determined to give this new life a chance.

The town veterinarian, Frank Morales, has offered Dani the opportunity to take over for him when he retires. Although she loves her work, and the time to work alongside her friend and mentor at his clinic, she isn’t always quick to trust others or open up about her past, mainly because of the cruel hand dealt to her by fate. Nevertheless, she gradually starts to feel like Haven Point could be her family’s permanent home.

Those fragile dreams are shattered, however, when Dani’s teenage daughter is suspended from school. With her ire already up, she doesn’t want any unsolicited help from Frank’s son, her neighbor Ruben, even if his intentions are genuine. It doesn’t matter how hunky and dependable the gorgeous deputy sheriff may be, she can handle her own, thank you very much.

Eventually, Dani realizes her independent streak may get the best of her though if she’s not careful. After all, would it really hurt to let down her guard enough to allow the friendly folk of Haven Point to offer her family the loving support they truly need? Or will she sacrifice her attraction to Ruben to maintain her autonomy?

Thayne is a gifted wordsmith who has a real knack for writing emotionally charged stories propelled by charming characters and vivid descriptions. As such, she makes each of us long for a holiday in Haven Point, a place which defines the terms “community” and “belonging.” Reading this book shows readers just how wondrous the world could be if we could all experienced a similar respite from the rat race we get caught running each day. And that is what makes Season of Wonder such a joyous and inspiring novel. Here, Thayne reminds us that we all have a place in the world, even if we can’t see it at first. We simply have to open our hearts to the possibilities life sends our way.

She has also received many honors, including six RITA Award nominations from the Romance Writers of America, a Pioneer of Romance Award and a Career Achievement Award from RT Book Reviews, and an Award of Excellence from the Colorado Romance Writers.

Prior to working as a full time novelist, she spent 15 years in journalism working as a newspaper reporter and editor. But even then, she’d spent every free moment conjuring up romantic tales in her head and couldn’t wait to put their stories down on paper.

Unless you’re fascinated by mythic folklore, Transylvania may not be high on your list of dream vacations. But with beautiful summers, loads of historic sites like Bran Castle to explore, and plenty of inexpensive flights from major European cities, it is quickly becoming a top destination for world travelers. (Photo by NH53, Flickr)

Ever since I was a boy in Mrs. Harris’s seventh grade world geography class, I have anxiously awaited each issue of National Geographic. The yellow box on the cover always seemed like a magic telescope that allowed me to peer into other places and cultures where I discovered untold wonders and met fascinating people. That’s a feeling I still get to this day, whether I’m reading the magazine or watching a Nat Geo documentary. Now National Geographic is igniting our wanderlust once again with its second edition of Journeys of a Lifetime: 500 of the World’s Greatest Trips, published on the 10th anniversary of the original edition’s initial release date.

It can take 40 days to hike the entirety of the Colorado Trail. (Photo by Pierce Martin, Flickr)

In this edition, Nat Geo’s famed travel writers reveal their favorite trips, including 120 brand new destinations. Fully updated and wildly diverse, they take us from Australia to Norway, Malaysia to Papua New Guinea, and everywhere in between. And no matter how we like to travel, they’ve got us covered, whether we want to hop on a train or set sail, drive or walk, and of course fly, there are loads of unique modes of transportation to explore. But the fun doesn’t stop there. We also have our taste buds tantalized as we are introduced to unique foodie adventures, get our thirst for culture quenched in amazing ways, and more often than not we are even thrown into the action as we venture into bustling cities and remote landscapes. Reading Journeys of a Lifetime is total wish-fulfillment for practically every travel junkie there is.

Explore the wonders of New York City’s Greenwich Village day or night and experience everything from live music to unique architecture. (Photo by Jens Schott Knudsen, Flickr)

One of the things I really like about this book is that while there are countless trips we can take to distant corners of the globe, the authors also remind us that there are plenty of things to see and do right here in the USA. For example, we can lace up our sneakers and explore New York City’s Greenwich Village where we’ll encounter the first Whitney Museum in MacDougal Alley and the city’s narrowest house, where actors Cary Grant and John Barrymore both lived. Or if getting back to nature is more your speed, then you will need comfy hiking boots to trek the 479-mile Colorado Trail from Denver to Durango, where you’ll gasp at spectacular vistas inside the Weminuche Wilderness and can soak your aching dogs in the thermal pools at Cottonwood Hot Springs.

The International Alba White Truffle Fair draws foodies from around the world each year to sample its culinary delights. (Photo by Davide Carletti)

If you’re foodies like we are, then book a flight to Italy for October’s National Truffle Fair in Alba or similar events in Asti and Acqui Terme. While there be prepared to loosen your belt as you savor loads of gastronomic delights, including buttery pastas, succulent porcini mushrooms, salami flavored with Barolo wine, chestnut honey, Piedmontese ricotta, and so much more. Already been to Europe and looking to further educate your palate? Head to South Africa’s Cape Winelands between October and May where you can soak up the area’s tranquil, stunning landscapes even as you taste new Pinotage wines at Kanonkop Wine Estate, shiraz vintages at Meerendal Wine Estate, and Bordeaux-blend wines at the Rustenberg vineyard.

With over 500 courses to choose from, Scotland has the perfect venue for every level of golfer. (Photo by John Haslam, Flickr)

Feeling athletic? Spend a week golfing at some of Scotland’s legendary courses in Spring or Fall to avoid the wet, rainy winter or the overcrowded summers. Marvel at the fairways built right into the rugged and bracing landscapes, with plenty of spectacular views, such as at the parkland course of Charleton or the promontory of Fife Ness at Crail Balcomie Links. Looking for encounters with the supernatural or simply want to satisfy your curiosity regarding ancient folklore? Head to Romania and explore beautiful Transylvania in the heart of the Carpathian Mountains. Although you may not encounter a certain infamous Count, your imagination will definitely run wild as you explore dark forests and remote medieval castles replete with howling wolves. If nightmares aren’t your thing, enjoy summertime walks through the warm and lovely Romanian countryside.

Whether you have a dream destination in mind already or not, Journeys of a Lifetime is going to inspire you with all its thoroughly researched expert tips and advice with plenty of breathtaking photography to keep you riveted. This is the kind of volume that makes destination travel seem possible. It will allay any hesitations you may have about visiting particular countries, and will undoubtedly pique your curiosity about places you may have only heard of in story books. Yes, the folks at National Geographic know how to whet our appetites for travel. In fact, before you know it, you just may be heading to the local post office to renew your passport. Speaking of which, where are my keys?

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

One of the world’s leading nonfiction publishers, National Geographic Books has published more than 1,700 titles, featuring such categories as history, travel, nature, photography, space, science, health, biography, and memoir. A portion of its proceeds is used to fund exploration, conservation, and education through ongoing contributions to the work of the National Geographic Society.

Questions are powerful tools that help us decide, create, connect and lead. (Photo by airpix, Flickr)

In an uncertain world plagued with inaccurate information and a rising number of people who have forgotten how to think about issues with a critical mind, it is difficult to get to the truth. But author Warren Berger is deftly skilled at rebooting our brains, and he does so with a tool we oftentimes fail to wield: questions. In his latest volume, The Book of Beautiful Questions, we discover what to ask and why, and how the eroteme has become the most underused punctuation mark today.

Bloomsbury

As many of you may have figured out by now, and as my mom would surely tell you, I’ve always been someone who asked lots of questions. In fact, I think my first word was probably, “Why?” I just truly enjoy pondering why things operate the way they do. But I also love examining “what if” scenarios regarding pretty much every situation, from a person’s beliefs to their frame of reference and every aspect in between. I’m just curious like that. So you can imagine my excitement as I opened the mail to find Warren Berger’s latest tome, The Book of Beautiful Questions, waiting inside.

How can a question be beautiful, you may ask. Questions are the framework from which answers grow into beautiful innovations. In this compelling volume, Berger teaches all of us to ask “why,” “what if,” and “how might we” when facing changes in our lives, at work, and in our communities. We discover that when we compassionately think along those lines, we open the way for others to express themselves fully and authentically.

As a leader within an organization myself, I found many ways I can improve too, most importantly in areas where I desire to effect change. Having read The Book of Beautiful Questions I now believe in my potential to create a culture which grows curiosity between all levels of the work force, one step at a time.

Whether you’re a leader or a new hire, a parent or a child, a spouse or a friend, you’ve likely found yourself in a situation where you wanted to change the status quo, only to be met with resistance. Do yourself a favor. Get Warren Berger’s The Book of Beautiful Questions. Study it. Commit his strategies to memory and take his sage advice to heart. Not only will it change your perspective forever, but you will learn to become a more effective communicator and ultimately a more engaged human being.

Warren Berger

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Warren Berger has studied hundreds of leading innovators, entrepreneurs, and creative thinkers to learn how they ask questions, generate original ideas, and solve problems. He is the author of A More Beautiful Questionand the internationally acclaimed Glimmer, among other books.

They may have beat him in court, but now he’s back to get even in Lisa Scottoline’s Feared. (Photo by SalFalko, Flickr)

A firm of women lawyers is targeted by an enemy from their past. What starts out as an irritating lawsuit soon turns into something far more deadly, and suddenly they must save their firm, their lives, and everything they have worked so hard to obtain. But will they be able to do so in time? Find out in Lisa Scottoline’s supercharged new thriller, Feared.

St. Martin’s Press

Mary DiNunzio and Bennie Rosato are ticked. They’ve been slapped with an outrageous lawsuit by three men they don’t even recognize—three men who say they weren’t hired because they are men. Then, to add insult to injury, their one male employee says there is some validity to the case and threatens to walk.

Mary knows who is really behind this sham of a case: Nick Machiavelli, an attorney who hates to lose. Last time she ran into him, she beat him in court and he simply refused to lose graciously. Instead, he vowed to one day get even and destroy Mary’s firm.

Things quickly go from bad to worse when it becomes evident that Machiavelli will stop at nothing to achieve his goal—even when murder strikes. Now more than ever, Mary is equally determined to stop her foe from hurting the people she cares about, decimating her firm, and finding the killer before he strikes again.

I have not read a Lisa Scottoline novel in a long time, mostly because I haven’t been interested in the storylines. But her latest novel, Feared, is different. Here she shows how two strong women—Bennie Rosato and Mary DiNunzio—react when they are threatened, especially after they break the glass ceiling by successfully forming their own firm with plenty of blood, sweat and tears. As Machiavelli pursues them using every means at his disposal, the ladies rally the troops and stand their ground, even if they do wonder if he can ultimately rob them of everything they have.

Propelled by authentic dialogue, taut suspense, a perplexing mystery, and fascinating characters, Feared is a novel in which Scottoline subliminally asks her readers, “Is it better to be loved or feared?” In a time when the powerful wield their influence without discernment, this novel is a treasure and a gift, one that makes each of us stop and think about the consequences that come when we allow men like Machiavelli to intimidate us. Scottoline’s Feared is a story that confronts bitter truths unabashedly, prompts us to stand up to the fear mongers courageously, and lingers in our minds long after the last page is turned.

Lisa Scottoline (Photo by April Narby)

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Lisa Scottoline is a New York Times bestselling writer and Edgar award-winning author of 30 novels, including After Anna, Exposed and Think Twice. There are more than 30 million copies of her books in print in the United States, her work has been published in more than 35 countries, and her thrillers have been optioned for television and film.

She also writes a weekly column with her daughter Francesca Serritella for the Philadelphia Enquirer titled “Chick Wit,” which is a witty and fun take on life from a woman’s perspective.

These stories, along with many other never-before-published stories, have been collected in a New York Times bestselling series of memoirs including their most recent, I Need a Lifeguard Everywhere But the Pool.

In addition to writing her own work, she reviews popular fiction and non-fiction, and her reviews have appeared in the New York Times, the Washington Post, and the Philadelphia Enquirer.

Lisa has served as president of Mystery Writers of America and has taught a course she developed, “Justice and Fiction,” at the University of Pennsylvania Law School, her alma mater. She is also a regular and much sought after speaker at library and corporate events.

She currently lives on a Pennsylvania farm with an array of disobedient pets, and she wouldn’t have it any other way. Visit her home on the Web at Scottoline.com, like her on Facebook and follow her on Twitter.

When society is unforgiving, some secrets must be kept at all costs. (Photo courtesy K. A. Servian)

What would you do if everything you thought you knew about yourself turned out to be a lie? In the new book, A Pivotal Right, a young woman named Viola is faced with just such a dilemma when she discovers her father isn’t who she thought he was and that her mother, Florence, has kept the truth hidden for years.

This premise captured our imaginations, so we invited the author to tell us how being a mother herself impacted the way she wrote Viola’s character and what advice she would give to Florence on how to handle telling a child such a carefully guarded secret. We hope you enjoy this guest post from K.A. Servian! —Jathan & Heather

GUEST POST

As the mother of two boys, one aged twenty-seven and the other ten; I went through the parenting experience as a young woman, had time to reflect, and I am now navigating my way through the process again as an older, and hopefully wiser, person.

K.A. Servian

I leant early on that keeping secrets within any relationship is a terrible idea. If I had been in Florence’s shoes, I would have told Viola the truth about her parentage as soon as she was old enough to understand. Having said that, my characters are living in very different times from my own and I must be careful not to judge them by modern standards. The concept of shame was hugely influential on behaviour in the Victorian period. Anyone, particularly women, could be ruined not only by their own actions, if they were deemed inappropriate, but by the actions of their family and even their ancestors. Ignominy was multi-generational.

To tell anyone of Viola’s parentage, even the child herself, was to put her at great risk of ruin if the truth was accidentally blurted out. Florence had already been through the stigma of her father’s fall from grace in The Moral Compass and was living with the veiled disapproval of those of her class due to her marriage to Emile (a foreigner of middle-class birth). She certainly didn’t need the added disgrace of her previous marriage to Jack (a working-class Scotsman) to become public knowledge.

Viola was an interesting character to write as she was not particularly likable. As an intelligent, strong-willed young woman, she had the arrogant confidence of youth and felt it was her right to control and manipulate the lives of those around her to suit her own purposes. This is a common trait in teenagers. However, life has a habit of teaching hard lessons which was exactly what happened to Viola. She emerged from A Pivotal Right as very different person from the one who went in. Whether or not she learned from her experiences remains to be seen in the final book in the series, Slaves in Petticoats.

ABOUT A PIVOTAL RIGHT

Florence struggled for breath as she stared into the face of a ghost. “Jack?”

Twenty years after being forced apart Jack and Florence have been offered a second chance at love. But can they find their way back to each other through all the misunderstandings, guilt and pain?

And what of their daughter, Viola? Her plan to become a doctor is based on the belief she has inherited her gift her medicine from Emile, the man she believed was her father. How will she reconcile her future with the discovery that she is Jack’s child?

K.A. Servian

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

As a life-long creative, K.A. Servian gained qualifications in fashion design, applied design to fabric and jewelry making and enjoyed a twenty-year-plus career in the fashion and applied arts industries as a pattern maker, designer and owner of her own clothing and jewelry labels.

She then discovered a love of teaching and began passing on the skills accumulated over the years’design, pattern-making, sewing, Art Clay Silver, screen-printing and machine embroidery to name a few.

Creative writing started as a self-dare to see if she had the chops to write a manuscript. Writing quickly became an obsession and Ms. Servian’s first novel, Peak Hill, which was developed from the original manuscript, was a finalist in the Romance Writers of New Zealand Pacific Hearts Full Manuscript contest in 2016.

Ms. Servian now squeezes full-time study for an advanced diploma in creative writing in around working on her novels, knocking out the occasional short story, teaching part-time and being a wife and mother.

Giveaway Alert! Historical Fiction Virtual Book Tours is giving away 10 ebooks of The Moral Compass, the first book in the Shaking the Tree series! To enter, visit Gleam’s rafflecopter form here. Please note, giveaway ends at 11:59 p.m. ET on November 20th. Entrants must be 18 or older to win and only one entry will be accepted per household. All giveaway entrants agree to be honest and not cheat the systems; anyone suspected of fraud is decided upon by the blog/site owner and the sponsor, and entrants may be disqualified at our discretion. Winner has 48 hours to claim prize or a new winner will be chosen.